Andrew de Lotbinière Harwood is an outstanding international teacher, performer and creator in the field of instantaneous choreography and contact improvisation since 1975, living in Montreal. Andrew studied, taught and performed with Steve Paxton, Nancy Stark Smith and Nita Little, the founding members of Contact Improvisation. His background also includes gymnastics, yoga, modern dance, release technique, alignment work, compositional improvisation and Aikido. Andrew collaborated in performance with Chris Aiken, Kirstie Simson, Marc Boivin, Benoît Lachambre, Lisa Nelson and others.
Guest teachers invited by DIU and others
Andrew de Lotbinière Harwood
Hans Hasebos
Hans is a Jazz musician playing the vibraphone and many other instruments like drums and saxophone.
As a composer he creates music for theatre and film. Hans is playing in different music bands and is since the eighties involved in the Jazz and improvisation scene in Amsterdam. Currently he is also teaching at the conservatory in Utrecht.
Hans and Marisa have established a working relation since numerous years.
More about Hans Hasebos
Katie Duck
DIU is excited that Katie will be teaching a 3 day intensive in Utrecht.
Iris van Peppen got to know Katie as her main teacher and mentor at the School for New Dance development in Amsterdam, where she is still the main teacher in improvisation.
Katie's work has been of great influence for instant composition in the Netherlands and abroad with for example Magpie music & dance company.
Please check the website of Katie for extended information since her list of credits is so full.
Kristien Sonnevijlle
DIU is excited that Kristien is joining the team! She has been dancing with DIU for many years coming from a background in physical theater as a director, teacher and performer. During her theater education Kristien jumped into dancing instant compositions and since then she has performed on many different places, solo, in duet and within groups. Contact improvisation has become an important aspect of her work, as well as working interdisciplinary. At the moment she is working on several dance performances in cooperation with a visual artist and musicians. Besides performing Kristien loves teaching and is grateful for what participants and pupils have taught her. She teaches dance and (mask) theater to mentally challenged people, children, teenagers with learning disabilities and others.
More information about Kristien for recent projects.
Maaike v.d. Westeringh
After her graduation from the dance academy in Tilburg Maaike has been working as a dancer and performer with T.R.A.S.H., Marie Goeminne, Moos d’Herripon, Kendell Geers, Victor Alimpiev and among others.
What she loves about dance is that the truth exists in the beauty of the moment – and every moment it is different. Out of this interest her fascination for improvised performances was born. She followed workshops with Julyen Hamilton and has been performing instant compositions the last 3 years. Maaike studied intensively with David Zambrano and since then she is teaching his group improvisation technique ‘passing through’.
Maaike set up her own foundation with other dance artists, called Kudde to have a platform to make own projects, both in the dance-field and in the community.
Marisa Grande
Since the start in 2005 DIU invites Marisa on a regular basis to teach weekend intensive workshops. She is coming from a wide background in physical theatre, release technique, body mind centering, instant composition and yoga to name a few.
Marisa has the capacity to dive in deep to the core of what instant composition really means to her, leaving the student with a experience that will last.
More info about Marisa
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher has been a member of William Forsythe Company, Ballet Frankfurt, Twyla Tharp Dance, the Feld Ballet a.o.
As a choreographer Michael has collaborated with the dancers of Ballet Frankfurt and Nederlands Dans Theater III.
Over the last 10 years, Michael's work has been featured regularly at the Holland Dance Festival.
A leading figure in the discipline of improvisation, Michael has collaborated with cellist and composer Alex Waterman on several occasions. He continues to perform with Magpie Music Dance Company and conducts workshops in movement analysis and improvisation techniques worldwide.
Sarah Kate Gardiner
Sarah Kate Gardiner (UK 1970) is a dancer, performer, teacher and
choreographer based in Amsterdam. Since 1995 she has directed community
projects, her own youth companies and led workshops for diverse ages and
abilities across Europe. Her projects focus on improvisation, site-performance
and group empowerment. She co-founded and directed MT Gap (UK)
specialising in site-specific dance and The Cleaners Identity Group (NL). Sarah
Kate is co-director of PLATFORM 1660 (NL), a cross-generation community
dance project for ages 16 & 60. She is regular guest artist for location theatre
collective Aardlek, Warner & Consorten andThe Carpet Collective.
She cofacillitates MovingMeeting, an on-site performance practice, with Pauline de Groot. Sarah Kate is dedicated to dancing outside the box.
Superhands Denmark
Superhands is a Copenhagen based collective of 2 dancers and 4 musicians (drums, trumpet, piano electric guitar). Together they create performances through improvisation, using the potential of every moment. The idea behind their work is to create a space where differences can meet and generate a new genre-crossing universe. Superhands is interested in confronting their work with different environments. Untill now they performed in places such as theatres, museums, music venues, parks, industry halls dance venues and a parliament building.
Go to the website of Superhands
Tim O'Donnell
Tim O’Donnell has been studying teaching and performing CI for over 12 years. His exploration in the form is strongly rooted in a deep physical listening and a sense of adventure. His classes range from the gentle and subtle to the acrobatic and fluidly athletic. He holds an MFA in Dance and has been a bodyworker since 1991. Currently he is teaching and performing in NYC where he resides.
